Crape myrtle plant named ‘GARzarnobefu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of crape myrtle plant having an upright, well-branched and compact shrub numerous flowers on panicles and resistance to leaf spot and powdery mildew strains found in Ohio and California, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Lagerstroemia indica.

Denomination: ‘GARzarnobefu’.

BACKGROUND

‘GARzarnobefu’ is a new and distinct variety of crape myrtle.‘GARzarnobefu’ originated from a controlled cross in August 2011 in TippCity, Ohio between the female parent, an unnamed and unpatented seedlingderived from the cross between the crape myrtle plants ‘Baton Rouge’(unpatented) and ‘Dynamite’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,269) and the maleparent, an unnamed and unpatented crape myrtle seedling.

The resulting seeds from the cross were collected in August 2011 andplanted and evaluated in Tipp City, Ohio. ‘GARzarnobefu’ was selected inJuly 2012 from the population of seedlings in Tipp City, Ohio.‘GARzarnobefu’ was first asexually propagated in July 2013 in Tipp City,Ohio from softwood cuttings.

Other subsequent asexual propagations were conducted in controlledenvironments in Tipp City, Ohio and demonstrate that ‘GARzarnobefu’reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction via softwood cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Tipp City, Ohio.

-   -   1. An upright, well-branched and compact shrub having numerous        flowers on panicles; and    -   2. Resistance to leaf spot and powdery mildew strains found in        Ohio and California.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new crape myrtle plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a 4-year old plant grownoutdoors in Tipp City, Ohio in August 2019. The colors shown are as trueas can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of ‘GARzarnobefu’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the individual flowers, buds, foliage, andbark of the plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed descriptions set for the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘GARzarnobefu’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected outdoors in Tipp City, Ohio. Plants wereplanted in spring 2015 from cuttings taken in 2014 and evaluated in anoutdoor field in Tipp City, Ohio in August 2019. The phenotype of thisnew variety will vary somewhat with variation in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions as it has not been tested in otherenvironments. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) 2001.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Lythraceae.        -   Species.—Lagerstroemia indica.        -   Variety.—‘GARzarnobefu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—An unnamed and unpatented seedling derived            from a cross between the crape myrtle plants ‘Baton Rouge’            (unpatented) and ‘Dynamite’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,269).        -   Male parent.—An unnamed and unpatented crape myrtle            seedling.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Three weeks.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—8 to 10 weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous; RHS 177C.        -   Rooting habit.—Fibrous and well-branched.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and compact.        -   Branching habit.—Well-branched.        -   Plant height.—80.0 cm to 90.0 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—60.0 cm to 70.0 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—45.0 cm to 50.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—10.0 mm to 11.0 mm.        -   Internode length.—2.2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture, immature.—Smooth and stems are terete; four            longitudinal carinae on either side of the petioles.        -   Texture, mature.—Rough with some exfoliation; stems are            terete; four longitudinal carinae on either side of the            petioles.        -   Color, immature.—RHS 183B to RHS 183C.        -   Color, mature.—RHS N165A.-   Bark:    -   -   Immature stem color.—RHS 183B to RHS 183C.        -   Mature stem color.—RHS N165A.-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Sub-opposite to alternate.        -   Length.—5.1 cm.        -   Width.—3.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Oval.        -   Apex.—Rounded to attenuate.        -   Base.—Ciliolate.        -   Margin.—Entire, ciliolate.        -   Texture.—Upper surface: Lustrous, leathery. Lower surface:            Lustrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 147C. Lower surface: RHS            147D with blush of RHS 181D at the base.        -   Immature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 166A. Lower surface:            RHS 175A.        -   Mature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 139A. Lower surface:            RHS 147B.        -   Petioles.—Length: 1.0 mm. Color: RHS 147B blushed with RHS            181D. Texture: Smooth.-   Flower:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Panicle averaging            about 70 to 80 flowers of main shoots followed by lateral            shoots.        -   Natural flowering season.—Late July through August in            Southwest Ohio (about 6 to 7 weeks); a second flush of            flowering occurs in longer growing seasons like California.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence height.—45.0 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—30.0 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—3.7 cm.        -   Flower length.—2.0 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Globose; smooth/glabrous; slightly cuspidate            apex and rounded base; 8.0 mm length and 6.0 mm wide.        -   Flower bud color.—RHS 45A to RHS 45B.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—6 per flower.        -   Lobe length.—1.1 cm.        -   Lobe width.—1.0 cm.        -   Lobe shape.—Ruffled or crisped.        -   Apex.—Rounded and ruffled.        -   Base.—Adnate to calyx.        -   Margin.—Crisped.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Thin, soft.        -   Color (both upper and lower surfaces).—RHS N78A.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—6 and fused at the base.        -   Length.—Above the fused portion, the length is 3.5 mm.        -   Width.—Above the fused portion, the width is 4.0 mm.        -   Shape.—Triangular.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 178B. Lower surface: RHS 145D            except on tips where exposed to light as flower opens, which            is blushed with RHS 178D.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—Up to 45.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—5.0 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Base has some exfoliation.        -   Color.—Base color is near RHS 165A, while terminal color is            RHS 183B to RHS 183C.-   Pedicels:    -   -   Length.—5.0 mm.        -   Diameter.—1.0 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—RHS 187B to RHS 187C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Quantity of stamens per flower: About 40; 6 long            stamens and about 34 shorter stamens. Filament length: 12.0            mm for the longer stamens and 4.0 mm for the shorter            stamens. Anther shape: Flattened ellipsoid. Anther length:            1.5 mm on the longer stamens and 1.0 mm on the shorter            stamens. Anther color: RHS 14D. Amount of pollen: Abundant.            Pollen color: RHS 22A.        -   Gynoecium.—Quantity of pistils per flower: 1. Pistil Length:            16.0 mm. Style length: 16.0 mm. Style color: RHS 183C.            Stigma color: RHS 183A. Stigma shape: Globose. Ovary color:            RHS 157B.-   Fruit and seed set: Seed is present; it is globose in shape, a    6-valved dehiscent capsule that is about 6.0 mm wide and 8.0 mm in    length; apex and base are rounded color is RHS 165A.-   Disease and insect resistance: Resistant to powdery mildew strains    Erysiph found in Ohio and California and resistant to leaf spot,    Cercospora.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL LINES

Table 1 shows a comparison of differences between ‘GARzarnobefu’ andboth parental lines.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female Male parent, parent, un-unnamed named crape crape myrtle Characteristic ‘GARzarnobefu’ myrtleseedling seedling Flower color RHS N78A RHS 53C RHS 55D Plant habitUpright and 80 Upright and 120 Upright and and size cm to 90 cm by 110cm 60 cm by cm by 70 cm 40 cm

Table 2 shows a comparison of the differences between ‘GARzarnobefu’ andthe commercial crape myrtle variety ‘Macchiato’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.28,759).

TABLE 2 Comparison with Commercial Line Characteristic ‘GARzarnobefu’‘Macchiato’ Flower color RHS N78A RHS 71A to RHS 71B Plant habit Uprightand 90 Rounded and 45 cm and size cm by 70 cm by 43 cm

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of crape myrtle plant designated‘GARzarnobefu’ as illustrated and described herein.